Theoretical Investigation and Molecular Design: A Series of Tripod-Type Cu(I) Blue Light Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials.

The photophysical properties and luminescent mechanism of a series of tripod-type Cu(I) complexes in solution and solids were comprehensively investigated through theoretical simulations. From a microscopic perspective, the experimental phenomenon is explained: (1) The intrinsic reason for the quenching of complex 1 in solution was attributed to the significant nonradiative transition caused by structural deformation; (2) In the solid, the reduced ΔEST for complex 2 effectively facilitate reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) and improves its luminescence efficiency; (3) The enhanced performance of complex 3 in solution is attributed to that its stronger steric hindrance is advantageous to decrease not only the ΔEST but also the reorganization energy through intramolecular weak interactions. Based on complex 3, the tert-butyl substituted isomeric complex 4 was designed. Complex 4 further amplifies the advantages of 3 to further promote the RISC to make full use of excitons. Meanwhile, it has an emission wavelength of 462.6 nm, which makes it an excellent candidate for high-efficiency deep-blue TADF materials. This study provides valuable information for obtaining efficient blue phosphorescence and TADF dual-channel luminescent materials.

Efficacy and safety of Bacteroides fragilis BF839 for pediatric autism spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The clinical utility of Bacteroides fragilis in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. Therefore, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects and safety of B. fragilis BF839 in the treatment of pediatric ASD. Methods: We examined 60 children aged 2-10 years diagnosed with ASD, and participants received either BF839 powder (10 g/bar with ≥106 CFU/bar of viable bacteria, two bars/day) or placebo for 16 weeks. The primary outcomes was Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) score. The secondary outcomes were Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Normal Development of Social Skills from Infants to Junior High School Children (S-M), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores, and fecal microbiome composition. Assessments were performed on day 0 and at weeks 8 and 16. Results: Compared with the placebo group, the BF839 group showed significant improvement in the ABC body and object use scores at week 16, which was more pronounced in children with ASD aged <4 years. Among children with a baseline CARS score ≥30, the BF839 group showed significant improvements at week 16 in the ABC total score, ABC body and object use score, CARS score, and GSRS score compared to the placebo group. Only two patients (6.67%) in the BF839 group experienced mild diarrhea. Compared with baseline and placebo group levels, the BF839 group showed a significant post-intervention increase in abundance of bifidobacteria and change in the metabolic function of neuroactive compounds encoded by intestinal microorganisms. Conclusion: BF839 significantly and safely improved abnormal behavior and gastrointestinal symptoms in children with ASD.

Comprehensive meta-analysis of emotional intelligence.

BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence refers to an individual's awareness of their emotions and their ability to effectively regulate them. Emotional intelligence also encompasses the ability to empathize with and establish meaningful relationships with others. OBJECTIVE: In this study, a comprehensive meta-analysis approach was employed to investigate the relationships between emotional intelligence and various factors including social support, organizational aspects, satisfaction, and stressors. METHODS: Moreover, the extent to which emotional intelligence influenced these factors was investigated and analyzed through meta-analysis. RESULTS: A data analysis revealed that emotional intelligence correlated positively with social support, organizational aspects, and satisfaction and negatively with stressors. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that organizations should adopt management strategies for enhancing the emotional intelligence of their employees, thereby strengthening their social support systems and their organizational cohesion and efficiency. To achieve this, organizations are advised to implement reasonable management systems and emotional management education and training to enable employees to effectively manage their emotions and understand the emotions of others. Subsequently, the job and life satisfaction of the employees can be enhanced and the negative effects of stressors can be mitigated.

Phytochemical fingerprint revealing antibacterial and antioxidant activities of endemic banana cultivars in Southeast Asia.

This study explores the bioactive secondary metabolite profiles of the peels of three major cultivars of bananas (Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana). These cultivars are primarily grown in Southeast Asia and are widely consumed due to their rich nutritional and fiber content. The research utilizes advanced analytical techniques, specifically HPLC-DAD-q-TOF-MS/MS, in conjunction with both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, to analyze the ethanolic extracts of the banana peels. This study identifies phenolic acids, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins as significant contributors to the differentiation of the cultivars. The secondary metabolites rutin, chlorogenic acid, and gentisic acid are pinpointed as the key discriminants. Moreover, the research demonstrates a synergistic contribution of certain phytochemicals to the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the banana peel extracts. The fingerprint profiling tools introduced in this study offer a reliable method for identifying metabolite biomarkers for the discrimination of banana cultivars.

Bacillus coagulans BACO-17 ameliorates in vitro and in vivo progression of Rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes persistent inflammation involving the joints, cartilage, and synovium. In individuals with RA, alterations in the composition of intestinal bacteria suggest the vital role of gut microbiota in immune dysfunction. Multiple therapies commonly used to treat RA can also alter the diversity of gut microbiota, further suggesting the modulation of gut microbiota as a prevention or treatment for RA. Therefore, a better understanding of the changes in the gut microbiota that accompany RA should facilitate the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In this study, B. coagulans BACO-17 not only significantly reduced paw swelling, arthritis scores, and hind paw and forepaw thicknesses but also protected articular cartilage and the synovium against RA degeneration, with a corresponding downregulation of TNF-α expression. The inhibition or even reversing of RA progression highlights B. coagulans BACO-17 as a novel therapeutic for RA worth investigating.

Meta-analytic structural equation modeling for exploring workplace friendship, well-being, and organizational commitment.

BACKGROUND: Workplace friendships, which are informal relationships in the workplace, foster mutual trust, assistance, and emotional support and create a sense of belonging among coworkers. Employees with positive perceptions of their job responsibilities, psychological needs, and work environment experience happiness, satisfaction, and an overall sense of well-being. A heightened sense of well-being in the workplace positively affects employee satisfaction with job tasks and the work environment, reinforcing employees' sense of belonging and organizational commitment. OBJECTIVE: The study proposed and validated a theoretical model, with meta-analytic structural equation modeling employed to conduct quantitative, empirical research on workplace friendships, well-being, and organizational commitment in Taiwan and to analyze correlations between relevant variables. METHODS: The theoretical model was further validated through structural equation modeling, which yielded favorable goodness of fit in terms of various indicators. RESULTS: The mediating effect of well-being was verified through bootstrapping analysis. Within a 95% confidence interval, the total effect size of workplace friendships on organizational commitment was 0.549, which is the sum of its direct effect (0.255) and indirect effect (0.294). CONCLUSIONS: This finding indicates that well-being plays a mediating role in the association between workplace friendships and organizational commitment. The proposed theoretical model in this study is supported. Finally, the research results are discussed, and practical suggestions are provided.

EW-7197, transforming growth factor ß inhibitor, combined with irreversible electroporation for improving skin wound in a rat excisional model.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining EW-7197 with irreversible electroporation (IRE) for improving wound healing, 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups of four rats each after dorsal excisional wound induction: sham control group; oral administration of EW-7197 for 7 days group; one-time application of IRE group; and one-time application of IRE followed by oral administration of EW-7197 for 7 days group. Measurement of wound closure rate, laser Doppler scanning, histological staining (hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome), and immunohistochemical analyses (Ki-67 and α-SMA) were performed to evaluate the efficacy. Fifteen of 16 rats survived throughout the study. Statistically significant differences in wound closure rates were observed between the combination therapy group and the other three groups (all P < 0.05). The degrees of inflammation, α-SMA, and Ki-67 were reduced in the EW-7197 and IRE monotherapy groups; however, not statistically significant. The fibrosis score exhibited significant reduction in all three treatment groups, with the most prominent being in the combination therapy group. This study concludes that oral administration of EW-7197 combined with IRE demonstrated effectiveness in improving skin wound in a rat excisional model and may serve as a potential alternative for promoting healing outcomes.

Structural equation modeling of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in people with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: To achieve suitable diabetes care, understanding the factors that affect self-care behaviors is necessary. OBJECTIVE: To construct a model of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in people with diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed a convenience sample of 311 people with type 2 diabetes in Taiwan. Data were collected through questionnaires, including the Diabetes Symptoms Checklist, Emotional Distress Scale, Empowerment Process Scale, Interpersonal Communication Scale and Self-Care Behavior scale. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling indicated that a model of dispositional mindfulness, internal environmental factors, external environmental factors, and self-care behaviors in the patients with diabetes best fit the data. Dispositional mindfulness (ß = 0.39), internal environmental factors (ß = 0.52), and external environmental factors (ß = 0.71) directly influenced self-care behaviors in the patients with diabetes. Dispositional mindfulness significantly indirectly affected self-care behaviors via internal and external environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: To improve self-care behaviors, interventions should consider mindfulness training, and also include internal environmental factors and external environmental factors in the mindfulness training.

Tailored design of NHS-SS-NHS cross-linked chitosan nano-hydrogels for enhanced anti-tumor efficacy by GSH-responsive drug release.

The traditional chemotherapeutic agents' disadvantages such as high toxicity, untargeting and poor water solubility lead to disappointing chemotherapy effects, which restricts its clinical application. In this work, novel size-appropriate and glutathione (GSH)-responsive nano-hydrogels were successfully prepared via the active ester method between chitosan (containing -NH2) and cross-linker (containing NHS). Especially, the cross-linker was elaborately designed to possess a disulfide linkage (SS) as well as two terminal NHS groups, namely NHS-SS-NHS. These functionalities endowed chitosan-based cross-linked scaffolds with capabilities for drug loading and delivery, as well as a GSH-responsive mechanism for drug release. The prepared nano-hydrogels demonstrated excellent performance applicable morphology, excellent drug loading efficiency (∼22.5%), suitable size (∼100 nm) and long-term stability. The prepared nano-hydrogels released over 80% doxorubicin (DOX) after incubation in 10 mM GSH while a minimal DOX release less than 25% was tested in normal physiological buffer (pH = 7.4). The unloaded nano-hydrogels did not show any apparent cytotoxicity to A 549 cells. In contrast, DOX-loaded nano-hydrogels exhibited marked anti-tumor activity against A 549 cells, especially in high GSH environment. Finally, through fluorescent imaging and flow cytometry analysis, fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled nano-hydrogels show obvious specific binding to the GSH high-expressing A549 cells and nonspecific binding to the GSH low-expressing A549 cells. Therefore, with this cross-linking approach, our present finding suggests that cross-linked chitosan nano-hydrogel drug carrier improves the anti-tumor effect of the A 549 cells and may serve as a potential injectable delivery carrier.

The study of constructing evaluation indicators for the implementation of employee assistance programs in public sectors.

Introduction: Employee assistance programs require resources and manpower of various natures across different types of public sector organization. Methods: This study began by outlining elements for comparing employee assistance programs' evaluation criteria in four types of public sector organization on the basis of 22 service measures for such programs implemented by the Ministry of Labor in relation to three major aspects: work, life, and health. Elements of the evaluation criteria for public sector employee assistance programs were determined by surveying a panel of experts using the modified Delphi method. Last, the weight associated with the elements of evaluation criteria were calculated using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, and the criteria of four types of public sector organization were explored. Results: Data analysis indicated that the weight and priorities associated with elements of evaluation criteria for EAPs implemented by four types of public sector organization were not fully identical. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that, in terms of EAPs, the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration of the Executive Yuan should be pursuant to appropriate employee assistance programs provided by various public sector organizations according to the needs of their employees as well as the diverse objective conditions in which these organizations operate.

Novel self-expandable stent-based endobiliary radiofrequency ablation for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an emerging endoscopic palliative adjunctive therapy used for the local treatment of unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). However, irregular ablation ranges caused by insufficient electrode-to-bile duct contact pose a significant obstacle. We investigated the feasibility of a self-expandable stent (SES)-based electrode with a customized RFA generator in the porcine liver and common bile duct (CBD). METHODS: An SES-RFA system with polarity switching was developed to perform endobiliary RFA. The ablation ranges of 20 ablation protocols were evaluated to validate the feasibility of the newly developed RFA system in the porcine liver. Nine of 20 ablation protocols were selected for evaluation in the porcine CBD with cholangiography, endoscopy, and histologic and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: The SES-RFA system with polarity switching was successfully constructed and demonstrated high accuracy and reproducibility. The ablation area was clearly identified between the 2 SESs. The ablation ranges and degree of mucosal damage, including terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick and labeling-positive and heat shock protein 70-positive depositions, increased proportionally with ablation protocols in the porcine liver and CBD (all P < .05). Ablation length and depth linearly increased with ablation protocols from 8.74 ± .25 to 31.25 ± .67 mm and 1.61 ± .09 to 11.94 ± .44 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SES-RFA system with polarity switching between electrodes provided an even circumferential area of ablation and enhanced ablation depth between the electrodes. This novel endobiliary RFA system is a promising modality for local ablation in patients with unresectable MBO.

A randomized trial of Bacteroides fragilis 839 on preventing chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and gastrointestinal adverse effects in breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the potential benefits of Bacteroides fragilis 839 (BF839), a next-generation probiotics, in reducing myelosuppression and gastrointestinal toxicity associated with chemotherapy in breast cancer patient. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: 40 women with early breast cancer were randomly assigned to the BF839 (n=20) or placebo (n=20) during the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy (4 cycles of epirubicin 100mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600mg/m2). Myelosuppression and gastrointestinal adverse effects were monitored in both groups. RESULTS: Throughout the four treatment cycles, the percentage of patients experiencing myelosuppression was 42.5% in the BF839 group, significantly lower than the 66.3% observed in the control group (p=0.003). Two patients in the BF839 group and three patients in the placebo group received recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) due to leuko-penia/neutropenia. When considering an ITT analysis, which included all patients regardless of rhG-CSF treatment, the BF839 group exhibited less reduction from baseline in white blood cells (-0.31±1.19 vs -1.15±0.77, p=0.012) and neutrophils (0.06±1.00 vs -0.84±0.85, p=0.004) compared to the placebo group. The difference became even more significant when excluding the patients who received rhG-CSF injections. Throughout the four treatment cycles, compared to the placebo group, the BF839 group had significantly lower rates of 3-4 grade nausea (35.0% vs 71.3%, p=0.001), vomiting (20.0% vs 45.0%, p=0.001), and diarrhea (15.0% vs 30.0%, p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that BF839 has the potential to effectively mitigate myelosuppression and gastrointestinal toxicity associated with chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

Safety and Clinical Outcomes of Two-Session Catheter-Directed Sclerotherapy Using Ethanol for Endometrioma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and clinical outcome of two-session catheter-directed sclerotherapy (CDS) with 99% ethanol in patients with endometrioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board with written informed consent obtained from all participants and was registered on clinicaltrial.gov. Consecutive patients with ovarian endometrioma between June 2020 and March 2023 were prospectively evaluated for two sessions of CDS. After successful transvaginal ultrasound-guided puncture of the endometrioma, the biopsy needle was exchanged for a 7- or 8.5-F catheter for aspiration and ethanol injection. The catheter was retained in situ for a second session the next day. Endometrioma volume was measured on ultrasound before and 1, 3, and 6 months after CDS, and volume reduction ratio (VRR) was calculated. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) was measured before and 6 months after CDS to assess ovarian reserve. RESULTS: Thirty-one endometriomas in 22 patients (mean age, 31.0 years; range, 19-44 years) were treated; 28 endometriomas were successfully treated with two-session CDS, while one session was incomplete in three endometriomas in three patients due to contrast medium leakage or pain. Minor procedure-related complications developed in four patients and resolved spontaneously before discharge on the same day of the second session. No recurrence was identified during follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up, the mean endometrioma diameter decreased from 5.5 ± 1.7 to 1.4 ± 0.9 cm (P < 0.001), and the serum AMH level was lowered without statistical significance (1.37 ± 0.96 ng/mL vs. 1.18 ± 0.92 ng/mL; P = 0.170). VRRs at 1, 3, and 6 months after CDS were 84.3 ± 13.7%, 94.3 ± 5.8%, and 96.4 ± 4.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Two-session CDS with 99% ethanol is safe, feasible, and effective for treating endometrioma with the ovarian function well preserved.

The Fifth Residue of the Coat Protein of Turnip Mosaic Virus Is Responsible for Long-Distance Movement in a Local-Lesion Host and Aphid Transmissibility in a Systemic Host.

HC-Pro and coat protein (CP) genes of a potyvirus facilitate cell-to-cell movement and are involved in the systemic movement of the viruses. The interaction between HC-Pro and CP is mandatory for aphid transmission. Two turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) isolates, RC4 and YC5, were collected from calla lily plants in Taiwan. The virus derived from the infectious clone pYC5 cannot move systemically in Chenopodium quinoa plants and loses aphid transmissibility in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, like the initially isolated virus. Sequence analysis revealed that two amino acids, P5 and A206, of YC5 CP uniquely differ from RC4 and other TuMV strains. Recombination assay and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the fifth residue of leucine (L) at the N-terminal region of the CP (TuMV-RC4), rather than proline (P) (TuMV-YC5), is critical to permit the systemic spread in C. quinoa plants. Moreover, the single substitution mutant YC5-CPP5L became aphid transmissible, similar to RC4. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that YC5-GFP was restricted in the petioles of inoculated leaves, whereas YC5-CPP5L-GFP translocated through the petioles of inoculated leaves, the main stem, and the petioles of the upper uninoculated leaves of C. quinoa plants. In addition, YC5-GUS was blocked at the basal part of the petiole connecting to the main stem of the inoculated C. quinoa plants, whereas YC5-CPP5L-GFP translocated to the upper leaves. Thus, a single amino acid, the residue L5 at the N-terminal region right before the 6DAG8 motif, is critical for the systemic translocation ability of TuMV in a local lesion host and for aphid transmissibility in a systemic host.

The Effect of Vocational Training on Visually Impaired People's Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is frequently utilized in clinical medicine and research to assess a patient's health status and treatment effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the impact of vocational training on the QOL of visually impaired individuals. METHODS: We employed the brief Taiwan version of the World Health Organization QOL Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREFTW) to assess four domains: physical, psychological, social, and environmental, using a nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design. The experimental group participated in 6 months of vocational training, including life and career reconstruction. After completing the vocational training, the average QOL score for the experimental group was 3.34 ± 0.18, while the control group had a score of 3.10 ± 0.85. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) results revealed a notable improvement of 10.81 (1.10) in the posttest overall QOL scores compared to the pretest scores in the control group. CONCLUSION: Vocational training significantly improves the overall QOL for visually impaired individuals. It is noteworthy that the psychological, social relationship, and physical health domains of WHOQOL-BREF TW exhibited the most significant improvements. This emphasizes the following: 1. professional knowledge and technical learning can enhance the abilities of the visually impaired. 2. The improvement in QOL occurs primarily at physical, psychological, and social levels. These levels involve maintaining physical health, reducing dependence on medical care, and enhancing self-care abilities for life reconstruction. 3. Integrating electronics with directional action can help to mitigate the risks associated with outdoor activities.

Soil fungal communities varied across aspects of restored grassland in former mining areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

To determine whether different aspects lead to a heterogeneous distribution of soil fungi, we investigated artificially established alpine grasslands in the Muli mining area in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Employing high-throughput sequencing techniques, we analyzed the composition, diversity, and function of soil fungal communities across various aspects (flat, East-facing, South-facing, West-facing, North-facing). We also examined their relationships with environmental factors. Soil fungal communities of restored alpine grasslands differed significantly across aspects in terms of the dominant phyla, classes and species level. Compared with No aspect, the Shannon index of fungi respectively decreased by 2.99%, 19.32%, 19.37% and 10.56% for East aspect, South aspect, West aspect and North aspect, respectively, and the Chao1 index of fungi respectively decreased by-2.44%, 35.50%, 42.15% and 3.21%, respectively. A total of 22 different types of fungi were identified in the study area. Predictive analysis, based on PICRUSt2, indicated that the primary functions of the fungal communities across different aspects were aerobic respiration I (cytochrome c) and aerobic respiration II (cytochrome c). Among the environmental variables, total phosphorus (P) and total nitrogen (N) were the principal factors influencing the fungal community composition.In conclusion, aspect plays a significant role in shaping the composition of fungal communities and also affects their overall diversity.

Balloon neck-plasty to create a wide-necked aneurysm in the elastase-induced rabbit model.

PURPOSE: The elastase-induced aneurysm (EIA) model in rabbits has been proposed for translational research; however, the adjustment of aneurysm neck size remains challenging. In this study, the technical feasibility and safety of balloon neck-plasty to create a wide-necked aneurysm in rabbit EIA model were investigated. METHODS: Male New Zealand White rabbits (N = 15) were randomly assigned to three groups: group A, EIA creation without neck-plasty; group B, neck-plasty immediately after EIA creation; group C, neck-plasty 4 weeks after EIA creation. The diameter of balloon used for neck-plasty was determined 1 mm larger than origin carotid artery diameter. All rabbits were euthanized 4 weeks after their final surgery. Aneurysm neck, height, dome-to-neck (D/N) ratio, and histologic parameters were compared among the groups. RESULTS: Aneurysm creation was technically successful in 14 out of 15 rabbits (93.3%), with one rabbit experiencing mortality due to an adverse anesthetic event during the surgery. Saccular and wide-necked aneurysms were successfully created in all rabbits. Aneurysm neck was significantly greater in groups B and C compared to group A (all P < .05). D/N ratio was significantly lower in groups B and C compared to group A (all P < .05). Additionally, tunica media thickness, vessel area, and luminal area were significantly greater in groups B and C compared to group A (all P < .05). These variables were found to be significantly greater in group B compared to group C (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: The creation of a wide-necked aneurysm using balloon neck-plasty after elastase induction in rabbits has been determined to be technically feasible and safe.

Preliminary report on embolization with quick-soluble gelatin sponge particles for angiographically negative acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

Prophylactic embolization is usually performed using gelatin sponge particles, which are absorbed within several weeks, for managing angiographically negative gastrointestinal bleeding. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with quick-soluble gelatin sponge particles (QS-GSP) that dissolve in less than 4 h for treating angiographically negative gastrointestinal bleeding. We included ten patients (M:F = 7:3; mean age, 64.3 years) who underwent prophylactic TAE with QS-GSP for angiographically negative acute gastrointestinal bleeding between 2021 and 2023. The technical success rate of TAE, clinical outcomes focusing on rebleeding, and procedure-related complications were evaluated. The embolized arteries were the gastroduodenal (n = 3), jejunal (n = 4), and ileal (n = 3) arteries. QS-GSP (150-350 µm or 350-560 µm) were used alone (n = 8) or in combination with a coil (n = 1). A 100% technical success rate was accomplished. In 1 patient (10%), rebleeding occurred 2 days after prophylactic TAE of the gastroduodenal artery, and this was managed by repeat TAE. There were no procedure-related complications. The use of QS-GSP for prophylactic TAE appears to be safe and effective for controlling bleeding among patients with angiographically negative gastrointestinal bleeding. There were no cases of related ischemic complications of the embolized bowels likely attributable to recanalization of the affected arteries following biodegradation of QS-GSP.

Research trends and frontier hotspots of TRPV1 based on bibliometric and visualization analyses.

Background: Transient receptor potential vanilloid type1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel with multiple activation mechanisms, which has received increasing attention since it was first cloned in 1997. Methods: We used bibliometric and visualization analyses to evaluate the theme trends and knowledge structure of TRPV1 research-papers on TRPV1 from 2002 to 2022 obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze authors, institutions, countries, co-cited references, and keywords. Results: A total of 7413 papers were included. The main research area of TRPV1 was neuroscience; the most published country was the United States, and the University of California, San Francisco, had the highest centrality. Two major collaborative sub-networks were formed between the authors. The distribution of keywords shows that TRPV1 was initially studied extensively, and the recent studies focused on TRPV1 structure and diseases. "Oxidative stress," "TRPV1 structure," "cancer," and "model" have been the research hotspots in recent years. Conclusions: This research provides valuable information for the study of TRPV1. Disease research was focused on pain, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Both agonists and antagonists of TRPV1 are gradually being used in clinical practice, and acupuncture was effective in treating TRPV1-mediated inflammatory pain. TRPV1 is involved in classical endogenous cannabis system signaling, and new signaling pathways continue to be revealed.

Anterior radial head subluxation in primary elbow osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: To investigate elbows with primary osteoarthritis (OA) for the presence of anterior radial head subluxation. METHODS: A total of 71 patients with elbow osteoarthritis and 45 with lateral epicondylitis were initially identified. The baseline characteristics and preoperative elbow X-rays of consecutive patients that had been clinically confirmed with elbow OA or lateral epicondylitis between March 2011 and January 2020 were then retrospectively reviewed. The radiocapitellar ratio (RCR; the ratio of the displacement of the radial head about the diameter of the capitulum) was calculated using lateral views. These RCR values were compared between the OA and lateral epicondylitis cases. RESULT: A significant increase was detected in RCR values between patients in elbow OA and the control group (13.2% (± 10.6) vs -1.2% (± 6.8), P<0.001). Based on receiver operating characteristic curves, RCR values had an excellent area under the curve (0.89) for the detection of elbow OA (Youden index, 0.69; sensitivity, 89%; specificity, 80%). Based on the ROC curve, the cutoff value of RCR was 0.04. Patients with RCR ≥ 0.04 had a significantly higher proportion of cases with elbow OA (risk ratio, 31.50 [95% CI, 11.17-88.82]) than those with RCR ˂ 0.04 (P ˂ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Radial head subluxation is a radiographic finding associated with elbow OA and RCR ≥ 0.04 could be used as an aetiological factor for elbow OA diagnosis.